Trustworthy AI in Healthcare: Exploring Ethics in Digital Health Technologies in Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract The rapid expansion of digital health solutions in Africa, encompassing telemedicine, AI, and other technologies, aligns with WHO’s Goals for Sustainable Development and Universal Health Coverage. Despite its benefits, this growth raises ethical concerns regarding deploying these technologies. A cross-sectional survey targeting executives of Nigerian digital health startups was conducted using Google Forms. The survey focused on startup characteristics, data management, ethical/legal governance, and user engagement. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation in R. The survey included 16 startups, primarily focusing on care provision (56%) and health data analytics (31%). Most store data internationally, with 18% integrating AI/ML in their products. Ethical concerns varied, with half of the startups having ethics/legal governance units and 56% showing high ethical concerns. Findings indicate a preference for international data storage, highlighting data sovereignty and privacy issues. While over half of the startups use anonymisation methods, challenges like non-consensual data collection remain. The study reveals a gap between ethical concerns and the practical implementation of ethical governance. This study sheds light on the operational and ethical dynamics of digital health startups in Nigeria. It underscores the need for policies and frameworks to cultivate a responsible digital health ecosystem, emphasising user-centric approaches and ethical considerations.

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